Podcasts about Goizueta Business School

Summary Artificial Intelligence is transforming marketing faster than almost any technology before it. Brands can now create professional-quality advertisements in hours rather than months and at a fraction of the cost. But as AI-generated creative becomes more common, an important question is emerging: Are brands becoming more efficient while losing some of the humanity that customers value? In this episode, Ben Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton explore the growing use of AI in advertising and marketing. They discuss why customers may care less about how cheaply content is produced and more about whether it feels authentic, trustworthy, and emotionally engaging. They also examine why AI may unintentionally create a flood of mediocre content, why consumers often value effort and craftsmanship, and how marketers can use AI without sacrificing what makes their brands distinctive. The discussion reveals that while AI is a powerful tool, it is not a substitute for customer understanding, emotional insight, or great strategy. Best Quote from the Episode: "The companies that win won't be the ones using the most AI. They'll be the ones using AI without losing their humanity."  Ben Shaw Key Takeaways: Customers don't buy efficiency—they buy value, trust, and emotional connection. AI-generated advertising may lower production costs, but it can also reduce perceived authenticity. Consumers often use effort and craftsmanship as signals of quality and credibility. As AI-generated content becomes widespread, "realness" may become an increasingly valuable differentiator. Unlimited AI revisions can lead to creative dilution and "death by a thousand prompts." AI won't fix poor marketing strategy; it simply allows marketers to produce more content faster. Great marketing still comes from human insight, emotion, creativity, and understanding customer needs. The most successful brands will use AI as a tool, not as a replacement for strategic thinking. Why You Should Listen: If you're a marketer, business leader, customer experience professional, or simply curious about how AI is changing the relationship between brands and customers, this episode offers a balanced and practical perspective. You'll learn where AI genuinely creates value, where it creates risks, and why authenticity may become one of the most important competitive advantages in the years ahead. Resources Mentioned Ben Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benshawuk/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321 About the Hosts: Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press. Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Ben Shaw is Group Head of Strategy at Smarts, a global PR and Creative agency. Ben also led strategy at BBH and worked client-side with fast-growth start-ups Wheely and Unmind. He's passionate about how brands can challenge culture convention and create ideas people want to spend time with, working on brands like Audi, Google and Burger King.  Beyond advertising, Ben champions mental health awareness and rare disease research, drawing on both personal experience and professional curiosity.

Summary Artificial Intelligence is transforming marketing faster than almost any technology before it. Brands can now create professional-quality advertisements in hours rather than months and at a fraction of the cost. But as AI-generated creative becomes more common, an important question is emerging: Are brands becoming more efficient while losing some of the humanity that customers value? In this episode, Ben Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton explore the growing use of AI in advertising and marketing. They discuss why customers may care less about how cheaply content is produced and more about whether it feels authentic, trustworthy, and emotionally engaging. They also examine why AI may unintentionally create a flood of mediocre content, why consumers often value effort and craftsmanship, and how marketers can use AI without sacrificing what makes their brands distinctive. The discussion reveals that while AI is a powerful tool, it is not a substitute for customer understanding, emotional insight, or great strategy. Best Quote from the Episode: "The companies that win won't be the ones using the most AI. They'll be the ones using AI without losing their humanity."  Ben Shaw Key Takeaways: Customers don't buy efficiency—they buy value, trust, and emotional connection. AI-generated advertising may lower production costs, but it can also reduce perceived authenticity. Consumers often use effort and craftsmanship as signals of quality and credibility. As AI-generated content becomes widespread, "realness" may become an increasingly valuable differentiator. Unlimited AI revisions can lead to creative dilution and "death by a thousand prompts." AI won't fix poor marketing strategy; it simply allows marketers to produce more content faster. Great marketing still comes from human insight, emotion, creativity, and understanding customer needs. The most successful brands will use AI as a tool, not as a replacement for strategic thinking. Why You Should Listen: If you're a marketer, business leader, customer experience professional, or simply curious about how AI is changing the relationship between brands and customers, this episode offers a balanced and practical perspective. You'll learn where AI genuinely creates value, where it creates risks, and why authenticity may become one of the most important competitive advantages in the years ahead. Resources Mentioned Ben Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benshawuk/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321 About the Hosts: Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press. Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Ben Shaw is Group Head of Strategy at Smarts, a global PR and Creative agency. Ben also led strategy at BBH and worked client-side with fast-growth start-ups Wheely and Unmind. He's passionate about how brands can challenge culture convention and create ideas people want to spend time with, working on brands like Audi, Google and Burger King.  Beyond advertising, Ben champions mental health awareness and rare disease research, drawing on both personal experience and professional curiosity.

Nostalgia isn't just "remembering the good old days." It's a bittersweet emotion—the strange mix of warmth, loss, pride, and longing that can make you feel good… even when the memory you're describing sounds objectively terrible. In this episode, Colin and Ryan dig into why nostalgia is so powerful (and why it's everywhere right now). They explore the paradox: people don't just get nostalgic about the happy stuff—they also get nostalgic about the hard stuff, because it becomes part of identity ("I survived," "it made me," "we were close," "look how far we've come"). And for Customer Experience? Nostalgia isn't retro wallpaper. It's an emotional lever tied to belonging, meaning, and identity—exactly the things that shape customer decisions. What you'll hear in this episode Why nostalgia is pleasant and painful at the same time Why people compete over who had it worse How nostalgia acts like an emotional "anchor" during uncertainty How brands "clone" nostalgia in advertising—and why it works when it's authentic Quote of the episode "Nostalgia isn't about reliving the pain—it's about reliving the meaning." — Colin Shaw Resources Mentioned Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321  About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn.   Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify

Nostalgia isn't just "remembering the good old days." It's a bittersweet emotion—the strange mix of warmth, loss, pride, and longing that can make you feel good… even when the memory you're describing sounds objectively terrible. In this episode, Colin and Ryan dig into why nostalgia is so powerful (and why it's everywhere right now). They explore the paradox: people don't just get nostalgic about the happy stuff—they also get nostalgic about the hard stuff, because it becomes part of identity ("I survived," "it made me," "we were close," "look how far we've come"). And for Customer Experience? Nostalgia isn't retro wallpaper. It's an emotional lever tied to belonging, meaning, and identity—exactly the things that shape customer decisions. What you'll hear in this episode Why nostalgia is pleasant and painful at the same time Why people compete over who had it worse How nostalgia acts like an emotional "anchor" during uncertainty How brands "clone" nostalgia in advertising—and why it works when it's authentic Quote of the episode "Nostalgia isn't about reliving the pain—it's about reliving the meaning." — Colin Shaw Resources Mentioned Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321  About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn.   Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify

Everyone's racing to be "AI-first." The problem? Customers didn't vote for it. In this episode, we unpack a practical decision framework for when AI should lead, when humans must lead, and how to avoid automating the very moments that drive loyalty (or churn). We also get into a surprising twist: why AI can sometimes sound more empathetic than people—and what that says about how most service teams are set up today. What you'll learn in this episode Why "AI-first" is usually a cost initiative pretending to be a strategy A simple way to decide human vs AI based on the emotional and situational stakes Where automation genuinely improves CX (and where it quietly wrecks trust) Why AI can come across as more patient and empathetic—and why that's a warning sign Best Quote from the Episode: "AI-first' is not a strategy. It's a cost program wearing a strategy's suit." - Colin Shaw Resources Mentioned Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321  About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify

Everyone's racing to be "AI-first." The problem? Customers didn't vote for it. In this episode, we unpack a practical decision framework for when AI should lead, when humans must lead, and how to avoid automating the very moments that drive loyalty (or churn). We also get into a surprising twist: why AI can sometimes sound more empathetic than people—and what that says about how most service teams are set up today. What you'll learn in this episode Why "AI-first" is usually a cost initiative pretending to be a strategy A simple way to decide human vs AI based on the emotional and situational stakes Where automation genuinely improves CX (and where it quietly wrecks trust) Why AI can come across as more patient and empathetic—and why that's a warning sign Best Quote from the Episode: "AI-first' is not a strategy. It's a cost program wearing a strategy's suit." - Colin Shaw Resources Mentioned Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321  About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify

Customer Experience isn't short of activity—it's short of new ideas that actually land. In this episode, Colin and Ryan dig into why genuinely fresh thinking in CX struggles to break through, how industries get stuck in "normal science," and why it feels like we're doing more measurement… without more progress. They explore what a real disruption looks like, the warning signs that a paradigm is reaching diminishing returns, and how leaders can break out of the loop. Best Quote  "When a paradigm hits its limits, the next move isn't 'do more.' It's think differently—and be willing to ruffle a few feathers." Colin Shaw: Key Takeaways Are we measuring more because we're improving—or because we don't know what else to do? If satisfaction is stagnating, what "accepted" CX beliefs might be holding us back? What would a real CX disruption look like—and are we brave enough to recognize it when it shows up? Why You Should Listen If you've felt like CX is turning into an echo chamber—same language, same frameworks, same playbook—this episode gives you a sharper lens on why that happens and what to do next. You'll hear how paradigm shifts actually work, the signals that the current model is running out of runway, and practical ways to find (and foster) ideas that can genuinely move the industry forward. Resources Mentioned Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321  ACSI National Customer Satisfaction (Q3 2025 press release): https://theacsi.org/news-and-resources/press-releases/2025/11/13/press-release-national-acsi-q3-2025/ PwC Global Workforce Hopes and Fears (psychological safety): https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/workforce/hopes-and-fears.html About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify  

Customer Experience isn't short of activity—it's short of new ideas that actually land. In this episode, Colin and Ryan dig into why genuinely fresh thinking in CX struggles to break through, how industries get stuck in "normal science," and why it feels like we're doing more measurement… without more progress. They explore what a real disruption looks like, the warning signs that a paradigm is reaching diminishing returns, and how leaders can break out of the loop. Best Quote  "When a paradigm hits its limits, the next move isn't 'do more.' It's think differently—and be willing to ruffle a few feathers." Colin Shaw: Key Takeaways Are we measuring more because we're improving—or because we don't know what else to do? If satisfaction is stagnating, what "accepted" CX beliefs might be holding us back? What would a real CX disruption look like—and are we brave enough to recognize it when it shows up? Why You Should Listen If you've felt like CX is turning into an echo chamber—same language, same frameworks, same playbook—this episode gives you a sharper lens on why that happens and what to do next. You'll hear how paradigm shifts actually work, the signals that the current model is running out of runway, and practical ways to find (and foster) ideas that can genuinely move the industry forward. Resources Mentioned Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321  ACSI National Customer Satisfaction (Q3 2025 press release): https://theacsi.org/news-and-resources/press-releases/2025/11/13/press-release-national-acsi-q3-2025/ PwC Global Workforce Hopes and Fears (psychological safety): https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/workforce/hopes-and-fears.html About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify  

The hardest battles don't always happen in combat. For Major General (Ret.) Matt Smith, the real challenge began after the uniform came off. After 32 years of service leading thousands in high-stakes environments, he found himself facing a different kind of question, Who am I now? This conversation goes beyond leadership and into something much deeper. It's about what happens when your identity has been built around purpose, structure, and mission… and then suddenly, all of that changes. Matt shares what it actually feels like to transition out of military life, why so many veterans struggle to find their footing, and the powerful lesson that you can't replace what you did, you have to build on it. From redefining purpose to understanding personal values, this episode offers insight not just for veterans, but for anyone navigating change in their life. Because at the core, this isn't just about leaving the military. It's about learning how to move forward without losing yourself. Guest Bio Major General (Ret.) Matt Smith served 32 years in the United States Army and Army National Guard, leading teams in some of the most demanding and high-pressure environments imaginable. Known for his ability to bring people together around a shared mission, he built a career rooted in trust, clarity, and purpose-driven leadership. Today, he serves as Executive Director of Veteran Initiatives at Emory University, where he leads the Goizueta Business School's Master of Business for Veterans (MBV) program. In this role, he helps veterans navigate the transition into civilian life by focusing on personal values, leadership evolution, and building a meaningful next chapter. You'll hear About Why transition is often the hardest part of any journey The difference between purpose in uniform and purpose in civilian life Why you can't replace your past — and what to do instead The role of personal values in building your next chapter Why connection, not isolation, is the key to getting through Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Episode Introduction 02:00 Matt's Path Into the Military 05:30 9/11 and Rediscovering a Sense of Purpose 09:00 The Power of Mission-Driven Living 12:00 Transitioning Out After 32 Years of Service 15:00 The Identity Shift No One Prepares You For 18:30 Why You Can't Replace the Military Experience 22:00 Purpose, Values, and Building the Next Chapter 25:30 The Trust Gap Between Military and Civilian Life 29:00 Mental Health, PTSD, and Asking for Help 33:00 Leadership Lessons That Carry Beyond Service 36:00 The Work Being Done at Emory University 39:00 Why No One Should Go Through This Alone 41:00 Final Thoughts and Matt's Message Chuck's Challenge This week, think about a transition you're currently going through,  or one you've been avoiding. Instead of asking, "What do I replace this with?" ask yourself, "What can I build from this? And don't try to figure it out alone. Reach out to someone you trust,  because the strongest people still need support. Connect with Matt LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smithmattd Connect with Chuck Check out the website: https://www.thecompassionateconnection.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-thuss-a9aa044/ Follow on Instagram: @warriorsunmasked Join the Warriors Unmasked community by subscribing to the show. Together, we're breaking stigmas and shining a light on mental health, one story at a time.

In this episode, Ryan Hamilton and I dig into the invisible "scripts" that hold everyday customer experiences together—those unwritten psychological expectations about what happens next, what signals mean, and how both customers and employees coordinate without even thinking about it. The trouble is: when technology (like mobile payments, kiosks, or automation) changes the steps, it can quietly break the script—creating uncertainty, awkwardness, and friction that wasn't there before. We explore why these scripts matter, how they differ by culture, and what leaders can do to help customers adopt new scripts without creating "prairie dog" moments. Best Quote from the Episode "A lot of customer experiences work because both sides know the script—until something changes and nobody knows what to do next." Professor Ryan Hamilton Key Takeaways What "scripts" are you unknowingly relying on in your customer journey—and what happens when they break? If you introduce new tech, what clear "signal" replaces the old customer behavior that used to communicate intent? How are you designing for different adoption speeds—early adopters and customers who want the old way back? Why You Should Listen If you're rolling out AI, automation, self-service, kiosks, or new payment methods, this episode will help you spot the hidden expectations that make experiences feel effortless—and show you how to redesign the cues and signals so customers don't feel confused, awkward, or abandoned. Resources Mentioned Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321  Monty Python "haggling" clip (Life of Brian): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2iZjxSGca8 Our Workshops: https://beyondphilosophy.com/motivational-workshops/ About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow   Apple Podcasts Spotify  

Nicolas Bailliache is a French-born entrepreneur and marketing tech executive who is widely recognized as an expert in LiveCommerce and shoppable video. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of eStreamly, a SaaS platform that enables brands and retailers to integrate shoppable video directly into their own websites and digital channels.eStreamly: Since founding the company in 2020, Bailliache has been at the forefront of the "video commerce revolution" in the U.S. His platform focuses on helping brands move away from "rented audiences" on social media to "owned audiences" by making their own sites interactive and shoppable.Conversion Expertise: He is known for developing strategies that significantly boost e-commerce conversion rates—often citing data that shows video viewers convert at triple the rate of standard web traffic.Thought Leadership: He is a frequent guest on podcasts (such as Shop Talk and The AD Podcast) and a speaker at industry events like the Esports Summit and Creator Summit, where he discusses the gap between the U.S. and Asian live-shopping markets.Corporate Success: Before his entrepreneurial pivot, Bailliache was a sales leader at Naturex (now part of Givaudan). He is credited with scaling a division from $700,000 to over $40 million by helping major global brands like Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Danone transition to natural ingredients.Global Perspective: Often described as a "citizen of the world," he has lived and worked on four continents, including stints in France, the UK, Brazil, Africa, and the U.S. He frequently mentions that his upbringing in a family of French artisanal food entrepreneurs shaped his passion for community-driven commerce.Education: He holds an MBA from Emory University's Goizueta Business School (2016).Bailliache is a strong advocate for responsible AI and authenticity in marketing. He believes that the future of retail isn't just about transactions, but about using video to build a "brick-and-mortar" style relationship with customers online, reducing return rates through better product education.Professional LeadershipBackground & Career PathCore Philosophy

In this episode, Ryan Hamilton and I dig into the invisible "scripts" that hold everyday customer experiences together—those unwritten psychological expectations about what happens next, what signals mean, and how both customers and employees coordinate without even thinking about it. The trouble is: when technology (like mobile payments, kiosks, or automation) changes the steps, it can quietly break the script—creating uncertainty, awkwardness, and friction that wasn't there before. We explore why these scripts matter, how they differ by culture, and what leaders can do to help customers adopt new scripts without creating "prairie dog" moments. Best Quote from the Episode "A lot of customer experiences work because both sides know the script—until something changes and nobody knows what to do next." Professor Ryan Hamilton Key Takeaways What "scripts" are you unknowingly relying on in your customer journey—and what happens when they break? If you introduce new tech, what clear "signal" replaces the old customer behavior that used to communicate intent? How are you designing for different adoption speeds—early adopters and customers who want the old way back? Why You Should Listen If you're rolling out AI, automation, self-service, kiosks, or new payment methods, this episode will help you spot the hidden expectations that make experiences feel effortless—and show you how to redesign the cues and signals so customers don't feel confused, awkward, or abandoned. Resources Mentioned Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321  Monty Python "haggling" clip (Life of Brian): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2iZjxSGca8 Our Workshops: https://beyondphilosophy.com/motivational-workshops/ About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow   Apple Podcasts Spotify  

Why do we actively seek out content that makes us angry? In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton explore the idea of consuming anger as an emotional experience. From doomscrolling and rage-bait headlines to viral customer complaints and outrage-driven media, they unpack why anger is such a powerful, bonding, and profitable emotion — and what this means for Customer Experience. Best Quote from the Episode "Sometimes people don't just experience anger — they actively consume it, because it makes them feel alive." Professor Ryan Hamilton Key Takeaways Anger is not just a reaction — it's often a deliberate emotional choice People consume negative emotions (anger, fear, disgust, sadness) because emotion beats boredom Rage-bait content works because it delivers safe emotional arousal with no personal risk Brands can unintentionally create rage bait, losing control of the narrative There may be no emotion that can't be monetized — but that raises ethical questions Resources Mentioned Overton's window - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMU0w4MP8Dc&t=5s Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321   About the Hosts:  Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow  Apple Podcasts Spotify

Why do we actively seek out content that makes us angry? In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton explore the idea of consuming anger as an emotional experience. From doomscrolling and rage-bait headlines to viral customer complaints and outrage-driven media, they unpack why anger is such a powerful, bonding, and profitable emotion — and what this means for Customer Experience. Best Quote from the Episode "Sometimes people don't just experience anger — they actively consume it, because it makes them feel alive." Professor Ryan Hamilton Key Takeaways Anger is not just a reaction — it's often a deliberate emotional choice People consume negative emotions (anger, fear, disgust, sadness) because emotion beats boredom Rage-bait content works because it delivers safe emotional arousal with no personal risk Brands can unintentionally create rage bait, losing control of the narrative There may be no emotion that can't be monetized — but that raises ethical questions Resources Mentioned Overton's window - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMU0w4MP8Dc&t=5s Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321   About the Hosts:  Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow  Apple Podcasts Spotify

How will customers decide which decisions to hand over to AI? As AI agents move to the front of the customer journey, brands are no longer competing for attention. They're competing for selection. And in many cases, they don't even realize they're being bypassed. This conversation goes beyond tools and technology to examine the psychology of decision-making, trust, empathy, and what happens when AI becomes the primary decision-maker on behalf of customers.

How will customers decide which decisions to hand over to AI? As AI agents move to the front of the customer journey, brands are no longer competing for attention. They're competing for selection. And in many cases, they don't even realize they're being bypassed. This conversation goes beyond tools and technology to examine the psychology of decision-making, trust, empathy, and what happens when AI becomes the primary decision-maker on behalf of customers.

What does customer experience look like when AI starts acting on behalf of the customer? As AI agents increasingly understand customer context, remember past behavior, and reduce friction, they begin to insert themselves between companies and customers. That shift has major implications for CX, branding, differentiation, and how organizations stay relevant when customers stop visiting websites, apps, and even stores. This conversation focuses entirely on the customer's perspective, not internal AI efficiency. It's about what happens when customers trust AI agents to search, filter, recommend — and sometimes even buy for them. Best Quote from the Episode "When your customer experience isn't good enough, you get replaced by something that is." — Colin Shaw Key Questions Discussed What happens to customer experience when AI starts making decisions for customers instead of customers interacting directly with companies? If AI becomes the primary filter of choice, how do brands stay visible — and avoid becoming invisible? Which parts of today's customer journey are most at risk of disappearing altogether? Why You Should Listen If you're responsible for customer experience, strategy, marketing, or growth, this episode challenges some deeply held assumptions about how customers discover, evaluate, and choose brands. Rather than focusing on internal AI use cases, this conversation looks outward — at how customer behavior is shifting and what that means for organizations that want to remain visible, relevant, and chosen in an AI-first world. This episode doesn't give you a checklist. It gives you something more valuable: a new way of thinking about where CX is heading — and why waiting is risky. Resources Mentioned Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321  About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn.   Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify

What does customer experience look like when AI starts acting on behalf of the customer? As AI agents increasingly understand customer context, remember past behavior, and reduce friction, they begin to insert themselves between companies and customers. That shift has major implications for CX, branding, differentiation, and how organizations stay relevant when customers stop visiting websites, apps, and even stores. This conversation focuses entirely on the customer's perspective, not internal AI efficiency. It's about what happens when customers trust AI agents to search, filter, recommend — and sometimes even buy for them. Best Quote from the Episode "When your customer experience isn't good enough, you get replaced by something that is." — Colin Shaw Key Questions Discussed What happens to customer experience when AI starts making decisions for customers instead of customers interacting directly with companies? If AI becomes the primary filter of choice, how do brands stay visible — and avoid becoming invisible? Which parts of today's customer journey are most at risk of disappearing altogether? Why You Should Listen If you're responsible for customer experience, strategy, marketing, or growth, this episode challenges some deeply held assumptions about how customers discover, evaluate, and choose brands. Rather than focusing on internal AI use cases, this conversation looks outward — at how customer behavior is shifting and what that means for organizations that want to remain visible, relevant, and chosen in an AI-first world. This episode doesn't give you a checklist. It gives you something more valuable: a new way of thinking about where CX is heading — and why waiting is risky. Resources Mentioned Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321  About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn.   Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify

Businesses are increasingly considering the use of generative AI for work that historically relied on human creativity, including in the area of marketing and advertising. But can ads made with gen AI really be more effective than human-created ads? Professor Vilma Todri of Emory University Goizueta Business School joins Kathleen Hu and Jaclyn Phillips to discuss her recent research on the impact of visual generative AI on advertising effectiveness. Listen to this episode to learn more about how gen AI is being used in advertising and the implications for ad effectiveness and AI disclosure policies. With special guest: Vilma Todri, Associate Professor, Goizueta Business School of Emory University Related Links: The Impact of Visual Generative AI on Advertising Effectiveness Hosted by: Kathleen Hu, Cornerstone Research and Jaclyn Phillips, Proskauer Rose

How are you really using AI — and how does that compare to others? In this episode, Colin Shaw introduces a simple behavioural framework for understanding how people are actually using AI today — not in theory, but in practice — and why this matters enormously for the future of Customer Experience. Rather than treating AI as a technology maturity model, Colin reframes it as a behavioural curve, shaped by confidence, trust, intent, and the consequences of being wrong. Drawing on real usage examples, ChatGPT analytics, and current research, Colin outlines four AI usage patterns that people tend to move through over time. Most people touch more than one. Very few stay in just one forever. The episode challenges listeners to ask: Where am I on this curve? Where are my customers today? And where will they be in 3–5 years? This is Part One of a new AI series exploring the implications of changing customer behaviour — and what organisations should be doing now to prepare. Best Quote from the Episode "This isn't a technology maturity model. It's a behavioural one. People don't adopt AI in a single way — they move through patterns depending on trust, confidence, and what's at stake." Colin Shaw, Founder & CEO, Beyond Philosophy Why You Should Listen If you're: wondering how AI will really change Customer Experience unsure whether your organisation is preparing for the right future or trying to understand how customer decision-making is evolving …this episode gives you a clear, practical way to think about AI adoption — grounded in behaviour, not hype. Resources Mentioned Colin Shaw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/ Professor Ryan Hamilton - http://linkedin.com/in/ryan-hamilton-49b3321  About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 284,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 2% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience, Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn.   Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn.  Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify  

New research will bring hope to the thousands of women in the UK living with secondary breast cancer. A simple blood test will be able to tell how well they will respond to treatment, even before it starts. This research could mean being moved to more efficient treatments earlier. Nuala McGovern hears from Dr Iseult Browne, one of the researchers on the study. The Grammy award-winning American R&B singer/songwriter and actress, Andra Day, made her acting debut with her portrayal of Billie Holiday in The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Her emotionally raw and transformative performance made her only the second black actress to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress. Her voice first reached a global audience with her anthem Rise Up which earned two Grammy nominations. She joins Nuala to talk about her latest role, as Christine, in the film - Is This Thing On?An employment tribunal ruled on Friday that the dignity of a group of female nurses at Darlington Memorial Hospital was violated because they had to share single-sex changing rooms with a transgender colleague, who was born male but identifies as a woman. BBC's Health Correspondent Dominic Hughes explains further.Today another episode of our SEND in the Spotlight podcast drops, and this one is all about the local authority's role in the SEND system. They come in for a lot of criticism from some of our guests, who feel they need to go to battle with their council in the attempt to get their children's needs met. Rebecca is a SEND mum who is also a SEND caseworker for a local authority. She got in touch because she wanted to talk about the realities of her job. Mattel have just released autistic Barbie. It's the latest in their range of dolls which have included wheelchair and Downs syndrome Barbies. So how do brands use socially conscious products to appeal to consumers, and how much are they targeting women with issues they care about? To discuss Catherine Shuttleworth, CEO of the marketing agency Get Savvy and Dionne Nickerson, Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia join Nuala.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Customer satisfaction has barely moved in over 30 years — despite enormous investment in Customer Experience. In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Professor Ryan Hamilton and Morgan Ward speak with Forrest Morgeson from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). ACSI has tracked customer satisfaction continuously since 1994 using the same questions and methodology across the entire US economy. And the long-term data tells a story that challenges many comfortable CX assumptions. Rather than steadily improving as CX practices mature, customer satisfaction rises and falls in cycles — heavily influenced by pricing, profitability, cost-cutting, and broader economic forces. This episode explores why satisfaction scores stagnate, why record profits often coincide with declining customer satisfaction, and why CX leaders need to think beyond journey maps and empathy training. Best Quote from the Episode "Customer satisfaction isn't a straight line. It moves in cycles — and when companies start squeezing for profit, customers feel it." Forrest Morgeson, American Custoimer Satisfaction Index Why You Should Listen? If you work in customer experience, marketing, or leadership, this episode will challenge some of the most widely held beliefs in CX. You'll gain: A data-led perspective grounded in 30 years of evidence A clearer understanding of why satisfaction scores fall despite CX investment Practical insight into the economic forces shaping customer experience A more realistic way to think about CX performance and ROI   Resources Mentioned  American Customer Satisfaction Index: https://theacsi.org/the-acsi-difference/us-overall-customer-satisfaction/  Forrest Morgeson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/forrestmorgeson/   About the Hosts: Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn.  Morgan Ward is an adjunct marketing professor, weekly expert guest on The Take—11Alive's in-depth news program that explores timely stories through expert insight—With over 20 years of experience advising clients ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500s and publishing in top academic journals, she's passionate about decoding the symbolic and cultural forces that shape consumer behavior. Her work focuses on status, identity, and decision-making across sectors like luxury, retail, and tech. Beyond consulting, Morgan serves as an expert witness in branding and advertising litigation, bringing academic rigor to questions of perception, distinctiveness, and influence. Follow Morgan on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgankward-phd/)   Subscribe & Follow  Apple Podcasts Spotify  

Send us a textKarl W. Kuhnert, Ph.D. is Professor of the Practice of Organization and Management in the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. Karl's research focuses on how leaders cognitively, interpersonally, and emotionally develop over the life course.  Karl has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles, 13 book chapters and made over 100 conference presentations, and served on numerous editorial and review panels.  He teaches industrial and organizational psychology, leadership, organizational change, and professional ethics.  Karl has won numerous awards for teaching and research. Karl also regularly teaches leadership development in the Executive Ed. Programs at Emory, UCLA, HEC Paris, and UGA. He has served as a consultant with many large and small corporations, non-profit and government organizations including, United Parcel Service, The U.S. Dept. of Treasury, Siemens, The Jet Propulsion Lab, and Cox Automotive.A  Few Quotes From This Episode“Every time I have done this, it has freed up experts to do the work they actually want to do.”“Tacit knowledge is lived wisdom—it's what makes an expert an expert.”“AI is a tool, it is not truth.”“We need to ask how judgments are made, not just whether AI can render them.”Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeBook: Personal Knowledge by Michael PolanyiBook: The MAP: A Practical Guide to Leadership Development by Keith Eigel & Karl KuhnertArticle: Training Innovative AI to Provide Expert Guidance on Prescription Medications by KuhnertArticle: Teaching Leadership: Where Theory Bridges Practice by KuhnertAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. ♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.

Sales and Customer Experience—two critical functions that should work together, but too often operate at odds. This week, Colin and Ryan explore how traditional sales tactics can undermine long-term loyalty and create organisational silos. They share personal stories (including Colin's car-buying nightmare) and practical advice for aligning sales with your desired customer experience. If you want to sell AND build trust, this episode is for you. Best Quote of the Episode: "If you can't proudly stand behind the experience you're creating, you've got a problem." — Colin Shaw Key Takeaways: ✅ Traditional closing techniques can damage trust, even when they maybe effective ✅ Sales incentives often conflict with customer experience goals ✅ Leadership must deliberately define the experience they want to deliver ✅ Culture matters: a sales-first mentality breeds silos and resentment ✅ Aligning sales and CX is essential for long-term success, not just short-term gains

Inflation, high costs, and economic uncertainty have Georgians rethinking how far they plan to spend and stretch their dollar in 2026. For Feedback Friday for a special edition of “Closer Look,” program host Rose Scott opened the phone lines to hear from callers. They discussed their spending habits in 2025 and candidly shared their concerns for how they plan to navigate their spending in the new year. We also hear from WABE contributor Tom Smith, an associate professor in the practice of finance at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, and Roger Tutterow, a professor of economics at Kennesaw State University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Overview When everything is one-click easy, do we lose something meaningful? Guest host Dr. Morgan Ward joins Dr. Ryan Hamilton to explore how the right amount of friction in the consumption experience can boost connection, meaning, and long-term use of the product—while the wrong kind just gets in the way.  Quote of the Episode "Consumption, in some ways, has just gotten too easy." — Dr. Morgan Ward

342: Lessons That Shape Great Nonprofit Leaders (Garrett Cathcart)SUMMARYSpecial thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life and for their ongoing support of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership.  Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking.What does it take to build something from the ground up - and lead it with purpose, humility, and vision? In episode 342 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Garrett Cathcart shares the lessons he's learned in creating and scaling organizations that strengthen communities and unite people across divides. As Co-Founder and Executive Director of +More Perfect Union, a veteran-led nonprofit rebuilding civic and social trust through connection, service, and engagement, Garrett explores the power of starting from zero, leading volunteers with accountability, and measuring impact through both empathy and data.ABOUT GARRETTGarrett Cathcart is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of +More Perfect Union, a veteran-led movement to strengthen communities and heal the divides in our country through meaningful connections built on service, civic engagement, and leadership development. He also co-founded 550 Capital Partners, a venture firm investing in early-stage startups led by military veterans. Previously, Garrett served as the founding Executive Director of Mission Roll Call and as Southeast Regional Director of Team Red, White & Blue. A U.S. Army Cavalry officer for nine years, Garrett is a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, where he served in multiple combat leadership roles and earned three Bronze Stars and the Meritorious Service Medal. He continues to serve as a Major in the U.S. Army Reserves and teaches leadership and military science at Georgia Tech. A graduate of West Point and Emory University's Goizueta Business School, he is a Truman National Security Fellow and a George W. Bush Veteran Leadership Scholar.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESIt Worked for Me by Colin PowellLearn more about +More Perfect UnionExplore our Mastermind Program, now accepting applications for 2026!

In this episode, Colin Shaw shares a recent personal experience with a major brand that imposed a 'gag order' (NDA) after a poor service experience — and how this reflects a deeper organizational issue: silos. Together with Professor Ryan Hamilton, Colin explores why siloed thinking leads to incoherent customer experiences, how internal motivations can conflict with CX goals, and what leaders must do to ensure learning, trust, and advocacy remain priorities. A must-listen for CX professionals and senior leaders alike. Best Quote: "Who decides? That is the question every leadership team should ask — and answer wisely." Key Takeaways: Organizational silos often lead to decisions that prioritise risk management over customer experience. Legal and PR functions may act rationally within their remit, but this can result in poor CX outcomes without CX leadership involvement. Service recovery is a powerful opportunity to build trust and advocacy — if handled thoughtfully. The presence of gag orders may indicate systemic issues that need urgent attention. CX leaders must break silos, promote organisational learning, and ensure customer trust is considered in every critical decision.   Register for the 'Unleash AI. Reimagine CX launch event' by NiCE  Cognigy https://www.nice.com/lps/nice-cognigy-launch-event?utm_source=influencers&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NL_Q425_EN_PLT_GLOB_252346_WBN_NiCE-Cognigy-Virtual-Launch-Event&utm_content=0522834&utm_detail=dentsu-influencers-nicecog-glob-colin   About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 284,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience, Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press 2025  Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify

Episode Overview Ever buy something you couldn't wait to get—and then let it sit in the box for days (or weeks)? You're not alone. Guest host Morgan Ward joins Ryan Hamilton to explore why we often love the pursuit of products more than the possession of them. From unopened tools and “someday” sweaters to the viral Stanley Cup craze, they unpack the psychology of anticipation, dopamine, and why the thrill fades once the package arrives. This episode reveals what's really driving that “add to cart” impulse—and how brands can design experiences that move customers from wanting to using.  Quote of the Episode “Apparently, the most appealing part of consumption for me is the buying—not the using.” — Dr. Morgan Ward

Summary Traditional customer feedback is broken. Post-call surveys and quarterly reports are too slow, cumbersome, and overly focused on the company's needs rather than the customer's reality. By the time insights land on a dashboard, the customer has already left—or worse, lost trust. In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, I (Colin Shaw) and Professor Ryan Hamilton sit down with Devidas Desai, SVP of Product Leader at ASAPP, to explore how AI that listens is reshaping the way organizations understand and respond to customers in the moment. We delve into why silence doesn't mean satisfaction, why feedback must shift from lagging indicators to real-time signals, and how AI can transform agents into superheroes rather than script-readers. Along the way, Devidas shares his bold vision for the “death of dashboards” and why the future is “anti-dashboard.” If you've ever felt trapped in a maddening customer service loop (looking at you, broadband companies), this episode will resonate. More importantly, it will show you what's possible when organizations finally stop treating feedback as an autopsy and start listening in real time. Best Quote: “AI that listens isn't about replacing humans—it's about keeping the human in the loop, so customers get both speed and empathy in the same conversation.” Davidas Desai, SVP, Product Leader at ASAPP Key Takeaways Feedback as Autopsy: Traditional surveys and dashboards give you a post-mortem, not a diagnosis. By the time you act, the damage is done. Silence ≠ Satisfaction: No feedback often means customers have given up on you—not that they're happy. Real-Time > Real Late: True customer experience happens in moments, not in reporting cycles. AI that listens can capture sentiment, intent, and context as it unfolds. Human in the Loop: AI doesn't replace humans—it augments them. The best systems blend automation with empathy and judgment. Agent Superpowers: With AI, agents can enter conversations fully briefed, emotionally aware, and guided toward the best next step. Less paperwork, more trust-building. Anti-Dashboard Future: Forget drowning in charts. The next wave is conversational dashboards where you ask questions, and AI gives clear, plain-language answers. Trust is the Endgame: Customers, agents, and leaders all need to trust the system. Real-time listening, done right, rebuilds that trust. Resources: Davidas Desai, SVP, Product Leader at ASAPP - https://www.linkedin.com/in/devidasdesai/ ASAPP https://www.asapp.com/   About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 284,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience, Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn.   Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book called “The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things” Harvard Business Press 2025  Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify   This show was recorded in partnership with ASAPP  

Rapid brand growth can sometimes lead to incompatibility between new and existing customer segments due to differing needs and expectations. Brand managers can minimize the possibility of segment conflict by anticipating and then carefully managing the relationship between them, according to leading marketing academic Ryan Hamilton.

EPP 409 Your Customers are Lazy... and Bored: How to Use That to Your Advantage Show Notes:  This week on The Intuitive Customer, Colin takes a step back and welcomes guest host Morgan Ward to explore one of psychology's favourite contradictions: why customers cling to the familiar, yet crave novelty. From music playlists to yogurt purchases, from comfort food to product design, Colin and Morgan unpack why we're wired for both—and how brands can use that tension to create better customer experiences. Best Quote from the Episode “Familiarity earns trust. Novelty earns attention. Get the balance right, and you earn loyalty.” Key Takeaways Customers don't always prefer the familiar or the new—it depends on context and need. Status quo bias (familiarity) is driven by loss aversion and cognitive laziness. Novelty seeking is driven by boredom and our need for optimal arousal. The best products deliver both—“updated classics” that balance safety and stimulation. Ask yourself: is your customer seeking comfort or excitement right now? Your answer determines whether to lean into familiarity or novelty.

In this milestone episode, The Intuitive Customer undergoes a transformation. Colin Shaw announces a step back from the regular hosting role, prompting a fresh chapter in the podcast's evolution. Hosts Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton introduce two new expert contributors — Dr. Morgan Ward, a consumer psychologist, and Ben Shaw, a brand strategist — to bring fresh perspectives on customer behavior, brand experience, and the future of CX. Together, the four hosts discuss the state of customer experience today, particularly in light of the stagnant growth in the American Customer Satisfaction Index over the past three decades. They debate metrics versus meaning, the enduring value of physical retail, and the coming wave of non-visual AI-driven brand interactions. The episode sets the stage for a broader, more dynamic take on what it means to truly understand and serve customers in the modern age. Quote of the Episode "We're using metrics that are more relevant to the business than to the person actually experiencing the brand." — Dr. Morgan Ward Key Takeaways Customer satisfaction has plateaued: The American Customer Satisfaction Index has barely moved in 30 years, despite huge investments in CX. This calls into question the effectiveness of current CX strategies. ROI needs to be central: CX professionals must link experience improvements directly to financial returns if they want continued investment. Metrics can be misleading: Overly relying on simplified metrics like NPS can lead organizations astray, especially when they're gamed or don't reflect real consumer emotions. Retail is making a comeback: Resurgence in physical retail's emotional power especially among younger consumers who crave tactile experiences. The future is voice-first: How AI-driven, non-visual brand experiences will redefine customer interaction demanding new forms of design thinking. Dual focus is key: Brands must balance operational improvements today with strategic planning for a fast-approaching future filled with disruptive technologies. Resources Mentioned American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI): www.acsi.org — Independent benchmark of customer satisfaction in the U.S. since 1994. About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 284,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience, Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book called “The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things” Harvard Business Press 2025  Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Ben Shaw Ben Shaw is Chief Strategy Officer at MullenLowe UK, having also led strategy at BBH and worked client-side with fast-growth start-ups Wheely and Unmind. He's passionate about how brands can challenge culture convention and create ideas people want to spend time with, working on brands like Audi, Google and Burger King.  Beyond advertising, Ben champions mental health awareness and rare disease research, drawing on both personal experience and professional curiosity. Follow Ben Shaw Morgan Ward Morgan Ward, Ph.D. is a marketing scholar and former professor at Emory University and Southern Methodist University, with over two decades of expertise in consumer behavior and branding. She's worked with clients ranging from start-ups to global brands, helping them translate behavioral science into strategies that resonate in culture and drive growth. Her academic research explores status, symbolism, and the psychology of consumption, and she has served as an expert witness in federal trademark and trade dress cases. Beyond her academic and consulting work, Morgan is fascinated by how cultural shifts shape what people desire, and how brands can both reflect and influence those desires. Follow Morgan on LinkedIn Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify  

You can theorise about Customer Experience all day, but gaining a Net Promoter score of 90 is not a theory. It shows a great focus and implementation of Customer Experience. This week, we are exploring how this was achieved with Kamron Kunce, VP of Marketing & Customer Experience at RJ Young. https://www.rjyoung.com/ RJ Young has been in business for over 70 years and boasts a world-class NPS score of 90+ — no small feat in today's hypercompetitive market. Kamron shares how they've transformed their Customer Experience, navigated organisational silos, and are thoughtfully introducing AI into their processes — without losing that all-important human touch. If you're wrestling with legacy systems, struggling to turn CX theory into practice, or figuring out how to scale with AI without alienating customers,  this episode is packed with practical tips you can take away today. And, if you're a regular listener, you'll know this one plays right into one of Ryan's and my favourite themes: breaking down those silos! Best Quote From the Episode “Customer Experience is everyone's responsibility. It's not just about Customer Service — it's about aligning the whole organisation around delivering value at every touchpoint.” — Kamron Kunce, RJ Young Key Takeaways ✅ CX must be a core business strategy, not a bolt-on function of Customer Service. RJ Young's “Make It Right Guarantee” puts this principle front and centre. ✅ Map your Customer Journey — and revisit it regularly. Quarterly and annual reviews keep RJ Young's CX aligned to ever-evolving customer expectations. ✅ Break down silos with transparency. Weekly cross-functional updates and quarterly company-wide video broadcasts ensure alignment across 700 employees and 9 states. ✅ Cross-functional collaboration is critical. Everyone, including Finance and HR, plays a role in the Customer Experience. ✅ Thoughtful use of AI is the future. RJ Young is leveraging AI to improve backend data insights and operational efficiency, without removing the human element that drives loyalty. ✅ CX + Culture go hand in hand. Embedding CX into your company culture is essential for sustainable success. Resources Mentioned RJ Young: https://www.rjyoung.com/  Kamron Kunce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamronkunce/ About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 284,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience, Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book called “The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things” Harvard Business Press 2025    Follow Ryan on LinkedIn.   Subscribe & Follow   Apple Podcasts Spotify

In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Colin Shaw speaks with Andy Traba, VP of Product Marketing at NICE, about the company's new mission: Creating a NiCE World. This isn't just a rebranding message — it's a strategic shift toward unified, proactive, and AI-enabled customer experiences. Andy and Colin explore why AI alone isn't enough, the dangers of siloed implementations, and why leading organizations are turning to platforms — not point solutions — to orchestrate connected, emotionally resonant journeys. If your organization is serious about CX transformation, this conversation provides clear guidance on where to start, what to avoid, and how to align internal functions toward a shared customer strategy. Quote of the Episode “The moment you find success with AI, you'll want more. That's why you have to start with a platform — not a point solution — so your entire organization can scale, align, and deliver a truly connected experience.” — Andy Traba, VP of Product Marketing, NiCE  

Today's interview is with Ryan Hamilton, an Associate Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, an author and the co-host of The Intuitive Customer Podcast with Colin Shaw. Ryan joins me today to talk about his new book (The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things), why an obsession with growth can be counterproductive, what the heck SRM is, why marketers should be thinking about customer segment compatibility and what happens when a brand serves incompatible segments, amongst other things. This interview follows on from my recent interview – Employee understanding and cracking the code of a better employee experience – Interview with Annette Franz – and is number 547 in the series of interviews with authors and business leaders who are doing great things, providing valuable insights, helping businesses innovate and delivering great service and experience to both their customers and their employees.

Is it time to finally admit that not all customers are created equal—and that treating them as if they are might be costing your business more than you realize? In this episode, I dig deep with Dan McCarthy, Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Maryland and co-founder of Theta, to challenge one of the most hotly debated questions in customer experience: Should all customers be treated the same? Dan's expertise in customer lifetime value (CLV) exposes a stark reality—most companies are bleeding money on large swaths of their customer base and missing out on major growth opportunities by not prioritizing their highest value customers. The impact of understanding, modeling, and acting on CLV? Smarter resource allocation, optimized acquisition channels, and retention strategies that actually move the needle. Why should you listen to Dan? His work—frequently featured in The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Fortune, and The Economist—sits at the intersection of advanced academic research and bottom-line business outcomes. Having sold a business to Nike and now a partner at Theta, Dan brings a rare combination of rigorous analytics and practical execution, helping both corporate leaders and investors see their customers (and their value) more clearly. If you want your business to thrive—not just survive—in a customer-driven market, this episode is essential listening. Here are three burning questions Dan answers during our conversation: How do you accurately calculate customer lifetime value, and why do so many businesses get it wrong? What are the most common missteps that leaders make when trying to identify and serve high-value customers? How can customer data be used to shift business strategy, improve profitability, and even recalibrate entire corporate valuations? Be sure to tune in and subscribe on your platform of choice: Listen & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Listen & Subscribe on Spotify And remember, The Delighted Customers Podcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms! Meet Dan McCarthy Dan McCarthy is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business, and a co-founder of Theta, a leading business focused on customer lifetime value prediction and insights. Previously, Dan taught at Emory University's Goizueta Business School for seven years before moving to Maryland (my alma mater—Go Terps!). Dan's innovative research and commentary on customer lifetime value, corporate valuation, and unit economics have attracted national attention, appearing in media outlets such as Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Barron's, CBS, CNBC, and The Economist. He is also nationally recognized for his work partnering with Dr. Peter Fader, with whom he initially founded a business acquired by Nike before their current collaboration at Theta. Before his academic career, Dan earned both his undergraduate and PhD degrees from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He spent several years on Wall Street at a hedge fund, bringing a financial and data-driven lens to marketing science. As a frequent speaker and consultant, Dan helps enterprise leaders, marketers, and investors leverage advanced modeling to answer high-stakes questions about profitability, resource allocation, and growth. To connect with Dan, reach out on LinkedIn. References and Show Notes Learn more about Theta Connect with Dan McCarthy: LinkedIn Past podcast guests mentioned: Fred Reichheld (on CX metrics), Dr. Peter Fader (Wharton School, on not treating all customers the same) Read Dan's and Peter Fader's research: Customer-Base Corporate Valuation Warby Parker (example discussed: CLV, growth, and valuation) Media coverage: Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, The Economist, USA Today, Barron's Delta Sky Club (loyalty programs and customer value example) Ready to rethink your approach to customers? Hit play and subscribe now!

Ryan Hamilton is an associate professor of marketing at Emory University and co-author of The Growth Dilemma. As co-host of The Intuitive Customer podcast, he brings behavioral science to life through real-world brand strategy. This week on On Brand, Ryan joins me to explore why customer decisions aren't as rational as we think, how brands can grow without losing their soul, and what he's learned working with companies like Walmart and Visa. About Ryan Hamilton Ryan Hamilton is an associate professor of marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School. He has consulted on branding with Walmart, FedEx, Home Depot, Caterpillar, ConAgra, Cigna, Visa, and Ipsos, among others, and has been a keynote speaker. He cohosts a podcast, called The Intuitive Customer, which applies the insights of behavioral science to customer experience. He has produced lecture series on both marketing and human decision making for The Great Courses. He's also the co-author of the book, The Growth Dilemma. What brand has made Ryan smile recently? Ryan shared a smile he got via a birthday gift from his wife. The gift? A planer from Bridge City Tools. “I love a  brand that can take something workaday and turn it into a thing of beauty.” Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn and his Emory University faculty page. Listen and subscribe at  Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you're hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you'd like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I'll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI is taking over—well, at least some parts of customer service. But how do you know when to automate and when to stick with the good old-fashioned human touch? In this episode, we dive into one of the most crucial decisions organizations are making today: When should you use AI, and when do customers actually need a human? Spoiler alert: If you let AI handle everything, you might save money—but you could also drive your customers straight to your competitors. Best Quote from the Episode: "You don't want AI handling a $300 million defense contract. ‘Hello! I see you're interested in missile systems. Would you like fries with that?'" Key Takeaways: AI Should Enhance, Not Replace – AI can automate routine interactions, but when emotions are high (like fraud issues or complaints), a human is still king. The Wrong Cost-Cutting Strategy Can Cost You More – AI might save money upfront, but if it frustrates customers, it can drive them away. Know Your Audience – Some customers love chatbots; others despise them. Testing is critical. Context Matters – A simple question like checking an account balance? AI can handle it. A frustrated customer dealing with a major issue? Bring in the humans. AI + Humans = The Winning Formula – Studies show AI-generated emails can be more empathetic than human ones (yes, really!), but the best approach is using AI to support human interactions, not replace them. Why You Should Listen: If you're thinking about rolling out AI across your customer experience, stop and listen to this episode first. We break down the risks, the rewards, and how to make sure you don't end up with a frustrated customer base ready to rage-tweet about you. Resources Mentioned Wall Street Journal Article: Turns Out AI Is More Empathetic Than Allstate's Insurance Reps https://www.wsj.com/articles/turns-out-ai-is-more-empathetic-than-allstates-insurance-reps-cf5f7c98?utm_source=chatgpt.com About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 284,000 followers and 86,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience, Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called “The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things” Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify  

How do you grow your revenues without upsetting your existing customers?  In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton dive into the new book he has written with Anne Wilson, Senior Lecturer at Wharton.  Published by Harvard Business Review Press, the book is called:  The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things Available here: https://bit.ly/3ZCN2wD Professor Ryan Hamilton reveal how brand growth often gets derailed not by bad strategy, but by insufficient attention to how your customer segments relate to each other. You may think your audiences are living on separate islands, but spoiler alert: they're not. They're watching each other, seeing what the other does, and sometimes they don't like it and will move elsewhere.  From Crocs to Prius to the Bud Light fiasco (and yes, even neo-Nazis in New Balance sneakers), this episode pulls no punches. It's a fast-paced, funny, and brutally honest look at why many brands fail to grow—and how you can avoid becoming the following cautionary tale.

Navigating Multiple Customer Segments, Needs, and Expectations  Shep interviews Ryan Hamilton, associate professor of marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-host of The Intuitive Customer. He talks about his new book, The Growth Dilemma, and the challenges brands face in serving multiple customer segments with differing needs and expectations.   This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    How does customer segmentation impact how customer experiences are designed?  How can businesses navigate conflicts between different customer groups seeking unique experiences?  In what ways do ideological differences between customers influence brand experience?  Why is it important for companies to continually adapt their customer experience as their customer base grows?  How do influencers impact customer behavior?  Top Takeaways:    Some companies believe that they are only serving one type of customer. In reality, there are often several segments with different needs and expectations. Take Disney, for example. They serve both families with kids and “Disney adults”—grown-ups who love the Disney experience just as much. Each group may be looking for something different, but both are important to the overall customer experience.  Companies need to recognize how different customer groups impact the business and how they interact with one another. When companies do not understand the different customer segments that they serve, they risk accidentally leaving one group out (and losing their business) or even creating conflict between groups.  One way to keep different customer groups happy is to design experiences just for them, even if they are sharing the same space. Depending on your type of business, this could mean creating special areas, offering different products, or even building new locations with certain features in mind.   As a business grows, so will its customer base. This means adjusting and innovating to meet the diverse needs and expectations of their customers. Successful brands continually evolve to attract and serve new customers without compromising the identity that initially drew their original customers.  Innovation is a double-edged sword. It can bring about changes that improve or disrupt the customer experience. Brands need to be willing to listen to customer feedback and adapt accordingly. Good communication and flexibility show customers that their opinions matter.  Customer segments and expectations evolve. What works for a brand today might not work tomorrow. Brands need to continually monitor how their different customer segments change and interact with each other, and be ready to adjust products, services, and experiences to keep everyone happy.  Plus, Shep and Ryan discuss how influencer and follower relationships drive trends and customer behavior. Tune in!  Quote:    "Serving one customer segment is challenging enough, but when you have multiple groups wanting different things, you're managing a whole ecosystem where you need to keep each customer happy."  About:    Ryan Hamilton is a keynote speaker and an associate professor of marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School. He is the co-author of The Intuitive Customer and the co-host of a podcast with the same name. His new book, co-authored with Annie Wilson, The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things, is now available on Amazon.    Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever said “thank you” to a chatbot or Chat GPT? Well, you're not alone—and you might just be weirder than you think. It turns out AI can be more empathic than people. But what do Customers think of AI experiences? Academic research reveals the answers we discuss in this show.  In this special live-recorded episode from the SOCAP Conference, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton explore the psychology behind how customers actually feel about AI—and what that means for your customer experience. Ryan dives into the latest academic research on AI trust, customer behaviour, and why people treat AI like it's part of the cast of Friends. Meanwhile, Colin keeps things grounded with real-life examples with his usual “so what?” test. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why 50% of customers trust companies less when they know AI is involved How AI literacy backfires (the more people understand it, the less they use it!) The subtle “outgroup” bias customers apply to AI systems Why hedonic recommendations (like chocolate) must come from humans How one bad AI interaction can poison the well for all future ones What the hell “personification” means—and why it matters for your brand The surprising emotional tension behind AI adoption (it's empowering and scary) Best Quote from the Episode: “AI isn't human, but customers treat it like it is—and that means it's being judged by human standards. If it screws up once, they'll remember. And they'll blame all AI for it.” – Professor Ryan Hamilton Resources Mentioned This podcast is sponsored by SOCAP International and IA Solutions, who are both as passionate about improving customer experience as we are. SOCAP: https://socap.org/ IA Solutions: https://iacallcenter.com/  Research References: Castelo, Noah, Maarten W. Bos, and Donald R. Lehmann (2019), “Task-Dependent Algorithm Aversion,” Journal of Marketing Research, 56 (5), 809-825. Dietvorst, Berkeley J., Joseph P. Simmons, and Cade Massey (2015), “Algorithm aversion: people erroneously avoid algorithms after seeing them err,” Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 144, 1, 114. Hermann, Erik, and Stefano Puntoni, (2024), “Artificial intelligence and consumer behavior: From predictive to generative AI,” Journal of Business Research, 180, 114720. Ipsos (2022), “Global opinions about AI – January 2022, https://t.ly/qyyEI Longoni, Chiara, and Luca Cian (2022), “Artificial Intelligence in Utilitarian vs. Hedonic Contexts: The “Word-of-Machine” Effect,” Journal of Marketing, 86 (1), 91-108. Puntoni, Stefano, Rebecca W. Reczek, Markus Giesler, and Simona Botti (2021), “Consumers and Artificial Intelligence: An Experiential Perspective,” Journal of Marketing, 85 (1), 131-151. Santoro, Erik, and Benoît Monin (2023), “The AI Effect: People rate distinctively human attributes as more essential to being human after learning about artificial intelligence advances,” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 107, 104464. About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 284,000 followers and 86,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 600,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience, Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called “The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things” Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn.   Subscribe & Follow   Apple Podcasts Spotify

Navigating the Growth Dilemma with Ryan Hamilton   Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.    I'm thrilled to welcome Ryan Hamilton to the show this week. Ryan is an associate professor of marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School. He has consulted on branding with Walmart, FedEx, Home Depot, Caterpillar, ConAgra, Cigna, Visa, and Ipsos, among others, and has been a keynote speaker. He cohosts a podcast, called The Intuitive Customer, which applies the insights of behavioral science to customer experience. He has produced lecture series on both marketing and human decision making for The Great Courses. He is the co-author of a new book, The Growth Dilemma.    THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone navigating brand growth and customer strategy decisions across evolving markets and customer segments.   TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…growth is a natural goal for businesses, but attracting new customers can unintentionally alienate the ones you already have. Ryan calls this the growth dilemma. As you expand your customer base, you risk creating conflicts between different groups of customers, conflicts that can undermine your success. Ryan outlines four kinds of customer conflict and how businesses can better anticipate and manage them before making big moves.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: Growth can backfire if you don't manage customer conflicts Start by maximizing value from existing customers before chasing new ones The four common conflict types are functional, brand image, user identity, and ideological   WHAT I LOVE MOST…Ryan's insight that brands often chase new customers without realizing the conflicts it creates, when the gold might already be in their existing customer base.   Running Time: 27:02    Subscribe on iTunes     Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X    Find Ryan Online: LinkedIn   Ryan & Annie's Book: The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things

How happy are you when you buy auto insurance? If your answer is anything other than thrilled, you're not alone. In fact, years ago, a UK insurance company tried to convince us otherwise with their tagline “Quote Me Happy.” Spoiler alert: Nobody was happy. This raises a fascinating question: What role does advertising play in the customer experience, and why is there such a massive disconnect between the ads we see and what we actually get? In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton dive deep into the Great Expectation Gap—and they've brought in a special guest: Ben Shaw, Chief Strategy Officer at MullenLowe (and, fun fact, Colin's son). It turns out that years of heated Sunday lunch debates on advertising vs. CX have led to this moment!

In this episode, host Moira Vetter speaks with Sandy Jap, the Sarah Beth Brown Endowed Professor of Marketing at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Sandy shares insights from her book Partnering with the Frenemy, which examines the boundaries of trust in both personal and professional relationships. They talk about the evolution of direct selling and how social media and influencer marketing has changed our relationships with brands.patreon.com/TheMarketingMadMen: https://www.nick-constantino.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Summary: Everyone's talking about AI like it's some kind of CX fairy godmother—“Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo! Your NPS just went up 50 points!” Spoiler alert: it doesn't work like that. In this episode, Colin and Ryan are joined by Frederic Durand, CEO of Diabolocom, and Collin D. Ehret, Senior Enterprise Sales Director (yes, another Collin… brace yourself), for a no-fluff, practical, and slightly irreverent discussion about what it really takes to implement AI in your customer experience. Diabolocom Website: https://www.diabolocom.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/diabolocom/ Frederic Durand LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fpdurand/  Collin D. Ehret  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collinehret/    This is a must-listen if you're wondering: Why most AI deployments stall before takeoff How to avoid drowning in customer data Why your silos are killing your CX And how AI can actually make your human interactions better You'll hear real-world examples, hard-earned insights, and maybe even a laugh or two (two Colins on one podcast—what could go wrong?).

Visit thedigitalslicepodcast.com for complete show notes of every podcast episode. Join Brad Friedman and Jonathan Baker as they chat about a topic every business owner needs to think about at some point. Having an exit strategy! Jonathan Baker heads up the M&A practice at Punctuation. He has worked on dozens of deals both inside and outside the industry and brings a unique perspective as a fellow owner who has gone through the process himself. He graduated from Emory University's Goizueta Business School in 2005. His career began working at a small boutique marketing strategy consultancy. There, he was able to do marketing strategy and positioning work for many well-known Fortune 500 CPG companies. In 2011, he left to start a craft brewery, Monday Night Brewing where his focus was on marketing, sales, and taprooms. After helping his business partners grow to 180+ employees and numerous locations, Jonathan stepped away from the day-to-day to head up the M&A practice for Punctuation. He loves cocktails, music, and hiking, and lives in Atlanta with his wife, two kids, and entitled rescue Australian Shepherd, Oscar Snugs. The Digital Slice Podcast is brought to you by Magai. Up your AI game at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/magai

Eight years, 750,000 downloads, and 400 episodes later, The Intuitive Customer is celebrating this major milestone! In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton reflect on what has changed in customer experience over the years and share their biggest learnings.

First impressions aren't just important—they're everything. Research shows that customers, clients, and even your colleagues are forming opinions about you, your brand, and your business in mere seconds—often before you even get a chance to introduce yourself! In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton dive deep into the psychology of first impressions, exploring the fascinating (and slightly terrifying) science behind snap judgments. How fast do customers decide whether they like or trust you? Why do first impressions stick so stubbornly? And most importantly—how can you make sure your business gets it right? From real-world business insights to slightly embarrassing personal stories (yes, there's a “matching tie and handkerchief” moment), this episode is packed with actionable takeaways, humor, and behavioral science gold. If you've ever wondered why customers make instant decisions about your brand—and how to make sure those decisions work in your favor—this is an episode you don't want to miss. Best Quote from the Episode: "People decide if they like you before you even open your mouth. Customers do the same thing with your business. And once that first impression is locked in? Good luck changing it." – Colin Shaw Key Takeaways: ✅ Customers form opinions in seconds. Studies show that people can judge competence, trustworthiness, and likability in as little as 10 seconds—or less! ✅ Your rational brain is slower than your gut. Neuroscience suggests that we make decisions before we consciously think about them—then we just make up a story to justify the decision we already made. ✅ Bad first impressions are a business killer. If your website looks outdated, your store is messy, or your customer service rep is unfriendly—customers won't stick around to give you a second chance. ✅ The Halo Effect can work for you (or against you). One good first impression can positively color how customers see your entire brand. But a bad one? That impression sticks. ✅ First impressions happen multiple times. The moment a customer sees your ad, lands on your website, calls your contact center, or walks into your store—each moment is a new first impression. Make them count. ✅ Be careful what YOU look for. Your own biases affect how you judge customers, employees, and even your team. If you assume someone is a "bad fit," you'll find reasons to confirm it—even if it's not true.

Trust: it's the glue that holds relationships together—both personal and professional. Yet, so many businesses get it wrong. In this special milestone episode (yes, 400 episodes!), Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton break down why trust is the foundation of every great customer experience and, more importantly, how you can earn it, keep it, and leverage it to drive growth. From sneaky fees that erode confidence to honesty that wins lifelong loyalty, we're covering ten essential actions that will guarantee your customers trust you—and keep coming back. Plus, we share some eye-opening research on why people sometimes lie more when they actually like you (yes, really). If you're serious about customer experience, this is an episode you can't afford to miss.